Diabetic Retinopathy
This is one of the most common diseases in ophthalmologic patients with Type I or Type II diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that damages the blood vessels in the retina, generally affecting both eyes.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy affects approximately 35% of diabetics worldwide. It occurs when the small blood vessels in the retina swell and leak as a result of high blood sugar levels. As it sets in, diabetic retinopathy will cause retinal swelling due to the leakage of fluid from the retinal blood vessels, causing blurred vision and/ or distortion. Objects may begin to appear abnormally small or large and you may experience blurry vision or floaters. If you begin to experience any of these, contact Opthalmology Doctor Name immediately. The earlier you receive diagnosis and treatment, the higher the likeliness of an effective result. Left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can lead to permanent vision loss and even blindness.
What Are the Risk Factors in Developing Diabetic Retinopathy?
Several risk factors associated with diabetic eye problems include:
- Poor blood sugar control
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Excess weight/obesity
- Smoking
- Pregnancy
If you’re diabetic, controlling blood sugar levels and having routine eye exams will significantly reduce the risk of developing this sight-robbing eye disease.
What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?
It’s possible that as the condition worsens, it will cause:
- Poor night vision
- Blurred vision
- Vision loss
- An increased number of floaters
- Colors that appear washed out or faded
- Blank or dark areas in your field of vision
By getting annual eye evaluations, your eye doctor will be able to detect these signs early enough which can help lower your risk or minimize vision loss.
What Are the Four Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?
There are four stages in the development of diabetic retinopathy:
- Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy – This is when minor swelling begins in the retina’s blood vessels, which are essential for nourishing the retina). Leaking may begin to occur.
- Moderate Nonproliferative Retinopathy –This stage is when the retina’s blood vessels become blocked due to swelling.
- Severe Nonproliferative Retinopathy – This is a more advanced stage where the blood vessels are blocked and the retina is no longer receiving the blood supply it needs to work properly. This sends signals to the body to create additional blood vessels.
- Proliferative Retinopathy – This is the final and most severe stage of diabetic retinopathy. The newly formed blood vessels are grown in an abnormal state along the surface of the retina. Due to their fragility and location, they bleed, causing a vitreous hemorrhage. This leads to severe vision loss and eventually blindness.
Can Diabetic Retinopathy Be Prevented?
The best measure you can take is to prevent it by controlling blood sugar levels and exercising regularly. Multiple studies have shown that keeping your blood sugar levels in check will make you less likely to develop diabetic retinopathy, or will slow its progress if it does occur.
Moreover, getting a dilated eye exam early on and detecting it early can help reduce the risk of blindness by 95 %. Regular eye examinations are especially important for those who:
- have had diabetes for 5+ years
- struggle to control blood sugar levels
- are diabetic and pregnant
Can Diabetic Retinopathy Be Cured?
While there’s no known cure for diabetic retinopathy, there are things you can do to slow its progression. Depending on the stage of diabetic retinopathy you’re in, your ophthalmologist will turn to the following treatment options:
- Anti-VEGF or steroid injection
- Laser surgery
- Vitrectomy
Eye Injections: Anti-VEGF /steroid injection is a treatment in which medicine is injected directly into the eye. The anti-VEGF agents block abnormal blood vessel growth and, in the case of macula edema, help reduce swelling. This in-office treatment is painless thanks to local anesthesia and requires repeated injections at intervals determined by your ophthalmologist.
Laser treatments are a good option to reduce extra fluid in the eyes, or edema, and can help prevent certain types of eye disease from progressing. This treatment generally takes around 20 to 40 minutes to complete.
Vitrectomy is a surgical procedure that removes a portion of the clear gel in the center portion of your eye. It’s often used to treat significant bleeding or problems related to scar tissue within the eye.
The world-class eye doctors at Opthalmology Practice Name use the latest diagnostic tools and retinal scanners to diagnose and monitor diabetic retinopathy in our state-of-the-art facility. They will also tailor treatments for each patient to maximize visual outcomes by using the latest lasers, surgical systems, and medicines to address vision changes that could lead to vision loss.
Contact Opthalmology Practice Name to schedule your dilated eye exam and discover what you can do to protect your vision and general health. Our eye doctors have the experience and knowledge to provide you with the best care possible.
FAQ
Is there a cure for diabetic retinopathy?
Early treatments can slow the progression of the disease and may even restore any lost vision. The more effective long-term strategy is to control the risk factors for diabetic retinopathy. Once retinal scarring occurs, vision loss is usually permanent.
Even though my diabetes is well-controlled, could I still develop diabetic retinopathy?
Yes. Despite maintaining control over blood sugar levels, patients who’ve had type 1 diabetes for over 20 years can still develop diabetic retinopathy. Other factors, such as inflammation and direct changes to the blood vessels, are also believed to cause this eye disease.
Are there different types of diabetic retinopathy?
Yes. There are two major types:
- Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) – the early stages
- Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) – the advanced stages when any new fragile blood vessels appear
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